TOVEA brings together horsepeople with not-yet-horsepeople

The 19th Annual Ride & Stride Fund-raiser and Horse Heritage Festival enlivened the Walnut Grove Equestrian Center in San Marcos Oct. 19 in a horse-filled day of fun, education and entertainment. The Horse Heritage Conservancy, in partnership with the Twin Oaks Valley Equestrian Association, drew equestrians, families, and horse lovers from all over the region. The fund-raiser supports preservation and improvement of public horse trails and the arena.

Temecula comes together for GAIT fund-raiser

The Oct. 4 “Pony Up for GAIT 2025” fund-raiser to support Green Acres Interactive Therapy (GAIT) raised an incredible $179,658 for its adaptive riding programs at Green Acres Ranch in Temecula. The energy was electric — a sold-out crowd of 300 enthusiastic guests filled the ranch with laughter, generosity, and a genuine love for the program’s riders. GAIT organizers were deeply grateful for the sponsors, donors, and guests whose support fuels GAIT’s mission to enrich lives through horse and farm animal interaction.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The late Los Angeles horsewoman Lynn Brown was a leading activist for equestrians for decades, helping horse groups navigate unfamiliar terrain of municipal government when important issues arise. Most recently, a few weeks before her passing Jan. 3, 2023, she was instrumental in educating and securing opposition from local elected Burbank officials over a “proposal” for an aerial tram that would have torn out the only public riding arena, Martinez Arena, in Griffith Park. Her advice rings as true today as it did then.

By LYNN BROWN | for the Horsetrader

The adage, “you can’t fight City Hall,” is not true—you can! Some may try and find that the cards seem stacked against them, or that the opposition was better organized. I’d like to provide some suggestions that have worked—and now is the time. These days, preserving equestrian life in many communities requires that its horsepeople to take up the fight.

The first challenge is to be positive, to know you can make a difference. It’s not always easy. In our recent battle to preserve the Silver Spur Stables from being demolished and rebuilt as small-lot housing, the task at first seemed impossible. We tackled it anyway, and to our surprise, we won—the individual who had applied to Glendale City Council for a zoning change, suddenly after months of relentless opposition, withdrew his request. If he had been successful in obtaining the zoning change, it would spell the end of all the historic boarding barns and feed stores along Riverside Drive.

TOVEA in San Marcos celebrates past, present, future

By Horsetrader staff

SAN MARCOS — The role of horses in the City of San Marcos dates back to 1797, and the Twin Oaks Valley Equestrian Association intends to play it forward for future generations.

More than 125 supporters attended TOVEA’s 20 Anniversary Aug. 3 at Walnut Grove Park, celebrating two decades of local equestrian advocacy and their cumulative accomplishments that have led today’s thriving horse community. For their contributions, volunteers and sponsors past and present were recognized, including California Horsetrader founder Carolyn Read, a 62-year San Marcos equestrian who passed away in April at age 92.

Better character, better student, better health… and FUN!

By Jennifer Forsberg Meyer |
courtesy of ELCR.org

Riding offers much more than equestrian know-how. Here’s why horses can be a life-enhancing choice for your child.

Margaret Coon learned a lot about first aid and crisis management during her time with the United States Pony Clubs. So much so, in fact, that when she grew up and was dealing with her own child’s bump on the head, someone from her pediatrician’s office mistook her for an RN.

“No, I’m not,” explained Margaret, who’d wowed the staff by having her baby’s pulse, res-piration, and pupil size available for the doctor. “This is just what you do before you call the veterinarian.”

That degree of composure under pressure is common among Pony Club kids. Margaret’s mother, Ruth Harvie, says the incident is but one of many involving her children, all raised with horses.

Someone wants to rezone local horse property; now what do you do?

By Christine Hughes / courtesy of ELCR.org

There are so many layers to consider when determining if horses are considered livestock and if horse farms are considered agricultural uses. Here are a few things to consider if you are facing local challenges to your equine operations, especially if your local or state regulations leave you in a grey area.

City of L.A. committee OKs venue; IOC meets in April

From staff reports

A Los Angeles City Council Ad Hoc Committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games, meeting for the first time since June 2024, approved by a 5-0 vote March 26 to proceed with requested venue changes from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee. Relocation of all equestrian events are headed to Galway Downs in Temecula, pending one final approval step in April.

Temecula Valley Rural Lifestyles group fundraiser April 10

TEMECULA — One of Southern California’s most important — and fun! — equestrian fundraisers is April 10 at Europa Village Winery, and one of the region’s most important trail proponents will be honored that night.

Gil Pankonin, a pioneer of Temecula Valley’s riding trails and a founding member and longtime President of Temecula Valley Rural Lifestyles will be awarded the 2025 TVRL Trailblazer Award. His contributions on horseback, or working onsite to help construct the trails, or advocating in offices with county officials, surveyors, and attorneys, have all helped ensure that trails are a vital, permanent asset to the community.

Support, dissent both aired at meeting to reveal center’s plans, needs

From Horsetrader staff reports

TEMECULA — Galway Downs owner Ken Smith hosted a well-attended presentation Feb. 19 to announce plans and hear public comments in the wake of January requests his team made to Riverside County planners. Along with Galway Downs Manager Robert Kellerhouse and land use consultant Alan Long, all three took turns at the mic to field questions. The almost two-hour forum was at times heated — especially when traffic caused by soccer events at Galway was broached — and at times supportive: the mention of Galway Downs’s proposed hosting of the 2028 Olympic Games equestrian events drew a loud ovation.

When the January fires hit, volunteers stepped in

From Horsetrader staff reports

BURBANK — It will be a while before the Los Angeles community recovers from the wildfires that devastated the area. The tragic week of Jan. 7-10 charred more than 36,000 acres just with the Eaton and Palisades fires, where close to 16,000 structures were destroyed and another 2,000 damaged. Twenty-nine lives were lost.